Club Soda: Wonder Product #3

Just this weekend our neighbor shared a personal story of how club soda came to her rescue. While she was away, a bottle of wine popped its cork and shot its notoriously-staining contents across a nearby fabric-covered chair as well as on the carpet. By the time she returned, the wine had set in and she feared she would have to throw away the stained chair cover.

A modern-day problem solver, she immediately searched the Internet for cleaning solutions. The most recommended were club soda and a popular cleaning product. By soaking the stains in club soda and then using the cleaning product, she was able to lift the wine stains completely out of the chair cover as well as the carpet.

Club soda, otherwise known as carbonated water, has been produced since the 1700s and is most commonly used as a beverage, a base for soft drinks, and a mixer for cocktails. Besides its thirst-quenching qualities, club soda can be used for a number of everyday purposes and household tasks. At a few dollars a bottle, club soda is a money-saver’s wonder product. Here are a few of the many ways you can use club soda.

A Cleaning Agent
Club soda is great at loosening grease or hardened grime, and, as in the previous example, lifting stains. Use it to soak pots and pans to make cleaning much easier, and keep it handy in case of stain emergencies. Club soda is great at loosening things, and that includes screws, nails, and stubborn rusted threads on lids and fixtures, making it a must-have for the garage and toolbox.It also does a beautiful job of cleaning gemstones and removing chlorine buildup from hair. Club soda is gentle enough to be used as a cleaner on nearly every surface in your home and won’t leave streaks. While it cleans it also eliminate odors, making it especially good for cleaning pet messes.

A Medicine
A well-known home ready for an upset stomach is to sip ginger ale. Ginger, of course, is known to be good at settling the stomach, but the carbonated water itself contains alkaline minerals effective in neutralizing stomach acid. The bubbling nature of club soda also encourages the release of painful gas buildup. So the next time you’re sick, avoid the sugar in ginger ale and reach for some club soda instead.

A Gardening Tool
Most gardeners know that watering your plants with club soda is an easy and effective way to boost the health of your houseplants. The minerals dissolved in club soda are exactly the minerals your plants need for proper growth. Fertilizers contain these minerals, too, but it’s easier for plants to absorb them with the water. You only need to water your plants with club soda once a week to provide a healthy mineral boost.

A Cooking Product
We already know club soda is used to make soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Try making your own healthier ‘soft drinks’ at home by adding it to 100% fruit juice. You can use club soda as a substitute for water when cooking to add a light, fluffy texture to foods, thanks to the effervescent nature of carbonated water. Another interesting culinary use of club soda is in loosening oyster shells.

Miscellaneous Problem-Solver
These and many other miscellaneous uses for club soda continue to be found and shared by ordinary people looking to solve problems simply, cheaply, and effectively. Stock up on club soda on your next shopping trip and start finding new ways to use this wonder product to save even more time, effort, and money.